Dodge Ram SRT-10: Full of Sound & Fury Signifying Everything
About twenty years ago Dodge decided the world needed a Viper-powered pickup truck and blessed us with the Dodge Ram SRT-10.
EV-ism infects more and more people each day. It is the belief that only all-electric vehicles should be made and that everything else is an evil, whale-killing monster. But we think we may have found a cure in the unlikeliest of places. And that is inside the cab of a nearly twenty-year old Dodge pickup truck. Of course, this particular truck is the Dodge Ram SRT-10. It is powered by the 8.3L V10 engine lifted directly out of the Viper. It cranks out 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque. That engine is connected to the same Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission that was used in the Viper. And in case you were wondering this truck is rated at 9 mpg in the city. It is as diametrically opposed to an EV as you can get.
The Dodge Ram SRT-10 you see here recently sold on Bring a Trailer for $31,500. A Rivian RT1 starts at about $75,000. You can buy an awful lot of gas for $43,500. Just saying. Anyway, the Dodge Ram SRT-10 was only produced from 2004 to 2006. The one pictured here is a 2005 model. Roughly 10,000 of these Viper trucks were produced during their model run. They were offered in regular cab and quad cab configurations. We are not sure which is more over the top.
Dodge Ram SRT-10
In 2003 Ford had the Lightning pickup making 380 horsepower from a supercharged V8. Chevy had the Silverado SS making 345 horsepower from a 6.0L V8. Then Dodge decided to go all Thanos on everybody and dropped the 8.3L V10 from the Viper in the nose of the Ram. It provided enough motivation to get the 2.5-ton truck to 60 mph in about 5 seconds flat. That is still quick in 2023 but was insane back in 2004. The Ram SRT-10 not only has big power but big style. It rides on massive 22-inch wheels that are wrapped in performance tires.
Still a Truck
There is a lot of power, and fat Pirelli Scorpion performance tires were standard equipment. But there is no denying this is a truck. Launch it hard on an uneven surface and you will be greeted with a NASCAR like soundtrack and a truck that is hopping all over the place. Still there are advantages to this over a Viper. For one the truck can tow 7,500 pounds and has a payload capacity of 1,010 pounds. If you are a fan of the Viper but need to make the occasional Home Depot run or tow a camper to a campsite, this is your dream vehicle.
Investment Truck
The RAM TRX has picked up the baton from the Ram SRT-10 as the insanely powerful sport truck. But even the powerful TRX doesn’t come with a manual transmission. Or a V10. Vehicles like that are just not going to be made anymore. Let alone pickup trucks. So, the Ram SRT-10 will likely hold its value and possibly even increase in value for years to come. If you buy one today, you would likely not lose a single penny on depreciation. So get shopping.
Images: Bring a Trailer
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